Multi-Carrier Code Division Multiple Access (MC-CDMA) is a modulation method that uses multi-carrier or orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission of Discrete Sequence CDMA (DS-CDMA) type signals. MC-CDMA is developed to improve performance (e.g., in terms of spectral efficiency) over multipath links. A fully loaded MC-CDMA system, where the number of users equals the spreading factor, can operate in a highly time dispersive channel with satisfactory bit error rate, e.g., in contrast to a fully loaded DS-CDMA link. MC-CDMA derivatives, such as Low Density Signature OFDM (LDS-OFDM), have a similar scheme of spreading symbols within a multi-carrier transmission. Some of these derivatives, such as LDS-OFDM, also allow overloading, where the number of users spread across the same frequencies can exceed the spreading factor. However, MC-CDMA and derivatives schemes can suffer from high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). A signal may exhibit a high PAPR because independent phases of the sub-carriers can often combine constructively. Handling this high PAPR requires using linear transmitter circuitry that suffers from poor power efficiency. There is a need for a scheme that restricts or suppresses high PAPR in such systems.